Posted 14 January 2013

Retro City Rampage roars onto PSN this week

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Are you rad enough to outrun the law and carjack the ’80s? Then power-up your POWER-UPS, because you’re about to go on a RETRO CITY RAMPAGE!

Retro City Rampage is finally coming to Europe on PlayStation this Wednesday after its legendary (and lengthy) development. I greatly appreciate everyone’s patience. Your wait was not without merit, and you’ll be enjoying the best possible game from day one. It boasts an additional month of development, polish and improvements since the original North American release, which has dominated the charts; sitting at #1 on PS Vita downloads since it was released.

Retro City Rampage drops you into an 8-bit open world full of send-ups of ’80s and ’90s video games and pop-culture. Mashing up the old and the new, you’ll be jumping on civilians for coins before stealing their cars to outrun the law and get to the next mission.

There’s no better way to grasp just what it is than to just watch the trailer below.

It’s not all just the classic driving and shooting. The missions span many genres, all crammed into the open-world experience, sharing the game’s moves and mechanics. To add more to the strategy, many missions can’t be attacked simply guns-a-blazin’. Much like classic games required you to figure out boss patterns, some missions revolve around a similar idea. They’ll require you to stop and strategise or your death count will quickly rise.

For example, you must figure out which weapons or moves to use (such as the stomp), or where to enter an area filled with enemies. The game has hint screens and checkpoints to make these parts more forgiving for modern gamers not accustomed to retro games, but prepare for a real challenge on some missions.

Much of the game is also non-linear, so if you’re stuck on a mission, you can always drop out, then go back to it later. Spend some time free roaming, playing arcade challenges, mini-games, or other missions. There can be up to a half-dozen missions unlocked at once.

The overlying theme of the game combines even more layers. On the surface it will evoke your nostalgia for the 8-bit era with densely packed references and nods, but beyond that, it is also composed of parodies, satire, puns, innuendo, social/local/industry commentary, PSAs, inside jokes, a few memes and some classroom humour to take you back to your childhood. There’s something for everyone.

I checked the US version out and this is great. However a month extra development is fine but it’s been out in US for what two and a half months and even made it’s way on to US Playstation Plus. I’m kind of disappointed that no effort has been made to address these issue other than to say it’s the best version of he game. While that maybe true it’s still doesn’t address the issues tbh.

I would still recommend the game to people but I don’t personally like how the European approach has been handled and that needs to be addressed with any future projects. Just some feedback.

Let’s all keep a sense of perspective. Brian has been slaving over this game for the past three years almost single-handedly. It’s a labour of love, so I imagine coming on here and seeing these demands for a discount must be pretty depressing.

Yes, there has been a bit of a release delay, due to a number of hard-to-avoid issues. While that’s certainly not ideal for anyone, I’d ask that if you like the look of the game, please go ahead and support him. Considering the blood, sweat and tears he’s put into the game, he deserves it. That goes for all small one-man-band developers – this is their livelihood, after all.

I’m glad to hear the extra wait at least amounted to extra development taking place. That’s something… SCEE REALLY need to have a big meeting on a long list of issues though in terms of the digital domain…

The hints only appear if you fail missions repeatedly, so if you’re a skilled player they won’t change your experience. If you do encounter the hint screens you can just press X and it’ll go away before you even have time to read it :) It’s not going to be in IGC.

I, like so many others, waited for the game to be released in October of 2012. I need a good excuse for this delay if you may?Really, some updates to maps and cars and checkpoints were worth the wait?

I was really hyped up for the game (from videos and the reviews of the press) but after so many delays and not a proper answer from the publisher or the developer for the matter, it really disappointed me.

I was disappointed of seeing so many post, from users, every week in every EU PSN Store Update asking for 2 games in particular and seeing only an answer , “No comment”.

Retro city Rampage (yours!!!) and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

The way you handed the Delay for the EU PSN was at least disappointing. No information at all.

I will still buy it but in the future I will be extra careful if I see any future projects and the promises you make from you for the PS3 and especially the EU PSN.

Great game, i’ll buy it day one!Brian, you’ve done a great job with this game, i’m developer and i know how hard is create a game (or a program xD) with a small team (and much more harder if is just a person).Best regards !

But is quite natural that we’ll question the price and release now. We had to wait so long with several promises that it would be released with the next patch.

Meanwhile we’ve seen sales on Steam or the game being part of Plus in NA. So of course people will question why we should pay full price now. Just because we had to wait longer? Feels like a double punishment.

I like the humor of the game, I like its art & style. But I don’t like how we’ve been treated here. And while I can absolutely understand that he does really everything related to the game himself, it won’t change the impression that it leaves on our side.

Different platforms are different companies. Different regions are even different companies. Just as in the physical world where one grocery store might have a vegetable on sale when others don’t, you as a consumer have the choice to go to that store with the sale to purchase it.

As a developer, we must earn back the money put into the game to continue making games and then earn profit to fund future games. Events including the Holiday Sales are important for developers to earn additional revenue from. If a game is not available in a store during a holiday sale then it will not get the benefits of a holiday sale. Holiday sales do not reflect other potential sales.

Dear Moderator, a lot of these comments appear to convey a sense of malcontent over the delay and expected price point between the US and the EU PSN. Out of interest, do the comments left here get passed on in any way? Do you guys have to make a report and present your findings further up the chain, or does it go no further than here?

I’ve been looking forward to this game since well before it’s US release so I’m glad it’s finally coming for us :D Just a shame that it’s only available for Vita in Australia, but I know that’s not Brian’s fault it’s because of the ridiculous classification board in Australia. Yet another game that won’t get to reach everyone that it would because of bureaucracy. Anyway I’ll definitely be picking this up to support the dev and I suggest everyone else does too, despite the delay.

This would have been a definite buy for me about a month ago when I had lots of time. Now I have less time and games are starting to pile up, and I simply won’t have a chance to play this, so I won’t be buying it now. Maybe later, if the price is right.

So although a short delay wouldn’t have stopped me buying it, the much longer delay now has. Not to criticise, since the delay was largely understandable, but this is why following a “Europe last, when there’s time for it” strategy is a bad idea.

That’s now how things happened. Europe is in fact, not last. The strategy was always ASAP. Certain unavoidable factors just made things take this long. Few understand that releasing a game is not a simple click of a mouse.

Wow completely forgot about this game, didn’t even realise it was out in the US and wasn’t aware it was coming to the Vita either (or possibly I didn’t have a Vita when it was first announced so ignored that fact)… looking forward to getting this! :)

I got this a while back on the XBOX360 because Sony Europe like always dropped the ball yet again.

So I did the only thing i could, i supported the game and the developer whilst sticking 2 fingers up at the rubbish Sony network.

My PS PLUS subscription is the only cash you get from me now, i used to buy tons of stuff but i cant remember the last time i was wowed by the Euro team, the offers, the sales even the ps plus selection is sub standard a lot of the time.

I understand that Microsoft strong armed smaller devs into exclusivity contracts and that made things hard but you dont help yourself by having a 2 tier plus system that monthly angers both sides of the ocean.

You need to adapt your thinking, its not the same world anymore, theres no such thing as blind loyalty to consoles, we have so much choice now as consumers.

I hope 2013 is a more fair and balanced year, i want to spend more, its your job to make me.

@Brian:Hmm, thanks for comment and also bringing this awesome game to PSN. Might buy it for my Vita. And don’t worry. I waited patiently and didn’t give up waiting but a game made by only one developer? Gotta admit you’re very talent when it comes to one-man develeopers. = )

10-15 people asked each day when the release date was. I cannot answer everyone. The date was announced as soon as it was known. The status “in certification” was the case for a long time. I respond with this information, people don’t accept it as an answer, then claim I’m not giving them enough information. Nothing I can do when people don’t accept my answer. I have had this page up for a while which displays up to date information on all platforms:http://retrocityrampage.com/platforms.php

Glad there will be a demo, hope the Vita get’s a demo to. I wasn’t impressed at all when I played it on 360. Just seems like a game that would work better on a hand held. Though I wasn’t that fond of all the ”cut scenes” from the 360 demo. It just felt like less of a game, & more of a ”spot the 80s & 90s references & occasionally press a button” or a Newgrounds.com type game. Though to be fair, that may have just been the first bit of the game to get you used to thing. Defiantly open to try it again.

Not in februarys plus content, eh? Support the dev you say? Nah, I’ll just wait for it to be in March’s plus content. Or April’s. If it was free on plus in the us, it probably will be here at some point too.

Lots of people expecting price reductions is a bit cheeky, do you go to the cinema and demand cheaper tickets when films are delayed in Europe too? Go watch Wreck-it Ralph now, it came out in America months ago, I bet you can get your ticket for free if you whine hard enough.

On the other hand, Brian continuously telling us that it wont be part of PS+ IGC comes across a little offish, like “No, it’s delayed and you wont get any extra incentives ever!”. Probably not intended that way, but it’s how it comes across. A simple “It wont be on PS+ for a while at least” instead of “No. Support the developer”

I can see why he’d be annoyed, he’s worked damn hard and made a very impressive game (One i really want, but can’t afford at the moment… stupid bills) so people demanding discounts is annoying. But with his answers being rather short and blunt about IGC inclusion, if it does end up on PS+ next month, or in March, he’s gonna have a lot of annoyed customers who bought it when they were t...

Lots of people expecting price reductions is a bit cheeky, do you go to the cinema and demand cheaper tickets when films are delayed in Europe too? Go watch Wreck-it Ralph now, it came out in America months ago, I bet you can get your ticket for free if you whine hard enough.

On the other hand, Brian continuously telling us that it wont be part of PS+ IGC comes across a little offish, like “No, it’s delayed and you wont get any extra incentives ever!”. Probably not intended that way, but it’s how it comes across. A simple “It wont be on PS+ for a while at least” instead of “No. Support the developer”

I can see why he’d be annoyed, he’s worked damn hard and made a very impressive game (One i really want, but can’t afford at the moment… stupid bills) so people demanding discounts is annoying. But with his answers being rather short and blunt about IGC inclusion, if it does end up on PS+ next month, or in March, he’s gonna have a lot of annoyed customers who bought it when they were told it wouldn’t be there.

I try to see both sides of the argument here, and I have to say that it’s totally not cool being rude to the developer!!!

Ok, it took a while to release in the EU, but I can’t see why this should be such a huge deal since it’s here now? Is there some kind of competition between the two sides of the pond I’m not aware of? It seems it’s easy to forget that it used to take many many months before any new console was released in the EU, let alone a game, and quite a few good games actually never made it here at all.

Having said that, I guess what made most people mad was the lack of info regarding when the game would eventually be released or the reasons why it took longer than expected.

So, as far as I’m concerned issues like this might be easily avoided in the future simply by communicating better to fans the reasons behind any delays and estimated time of release.

I personally think I will enjoy this game and don’t mind the delay at all, so day 1 purchase for me! Thanks for all the e...

I try to see both sides of the argument here, and I have to say that it’s totally not cool being rude to the developer!!!

Ok, it took a while to release in the EU, but I can’t see why this should be such a huge deal since it’s here now? Is there some kind of competition between the two sides of the pond I’m not aware of? It seems it’s easy to forget that it used to take many many months before any new console was released in the EU, let alone a game, and quite a few good games actually never made it here at all.

Having said that, I guess what made most people mad was the lack of info regarding when the game would eventually be released or the reasons why it took longer than expected.

So, as far as I’m concerned issues like this might be easily avoided in the future simply by communicating better to fans the reasons behind any delays and estimated time of release.

I personally think I will enjoy this game and don’t mind the delay at all, so day 1 purchase for me! Thanks for all the effort you put into this, thanks for the cross-buy, thanks for coming to our forum to answer questions, sorry for all the abuse and please give us EU gamers more info next time around!

I’m aware of the fast forward Brian which is a nice addition, but I thought the cut scenes were just a bit too frequent for my liking, I did watch & read all the dialogue, but I felt as if I was watching more than I was playing. To be fair to yourself also, I was only playing the demo for maybe 20 minutes.

I’m still really interested in the game despite my first impressions. From day 1 when I heard of the game, I’ve looked forward to it on the Vita more so than the PS3. I have no problems with paying full price either haha, I really hope the game is successful on the PS3 & Vita :D

As with all content significantly delayed for SCEE region, no buy. Cannot recall ever seeing delays between US/Euro XBLA releases, if there ever were any they were exceptions where as with SCEE seems to be the general rule.

so.. dont know if i should buy this. i would support a dev. that does not have the balls to release the game, because of microsofts ruels… then i would condone such behavior. and then he cant even talk about it. my god the reddit thing was a bad step.